Kohima Immersion Trip A Success

The Kohima Eight: (from left) Paul Fleisch, Sharon Ishii-Jordan, Scott Chadwick, Janine Geske, Fr. John Paul, SJ, Roger White Eyes, Steve Schulz, and Fr. Ray Bucko, SJ.

The first Jesuit-lay immersion team completed a 14- day journey to the Kohima Region in January, further strengthening the ties between Jesuits in that area of northeast India and theWisconsin Province.

The eight-person team included women and men representing diverse skills and a wide range of ministries from around the province. They came away impressed by the passion with which the Kohima Jesuits approach their various ministries, most of which are related to evangelization, education, and the promotion of self-help efforts among the diverse tribal cultures in the area.

Roger White Eyes, a Lakota Sioux from South Dakota, receives a ceremonial shawl from the people of the Garo tribe in the East Garo Hills of Meghalaya in Northeast India during a prayer ceremony. He was one of eight immersion group members who divided into groups of four and toured the Kohima Region.

“They are a dedicated, powerful group of men. They were stunning; they clearly want to be sent where they are most needed,” said Scott Chadwick, Creighton University associate vice president of academic affairs. “Their palpable selflessness and desire to help were inspiring.”

Fr. John Paul, SJ, Wisconsin Province socius, said, “The trip was marked by many cultural exchanges and a growing sense of brotherhood and shared graces that will enrich our twinning agreement with the Kohima Region.” (For more about Kohima go to www.wisprovupdates.org.)

Other members of the immersion team were: Janine Geske (Marquette University Law School, Gesu Parish); Paul Fleisch (Marquette University High School); Sharon Ishii-Jordan and Fr. Ray Bucko, SJ (Creighton University); Roger White Eyes (Red Cloud High School); and Steve Schulz (Twin Cities, Jesuit Partnership Council and Cristo Rey Study Participant).

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